What to do with the dried-out, cold rice in your fridge? With the right technique, you can turn it into a delicious meal in minutes. Day-old, cold rice is the best texture for making fried rice as it results in crispy, distinctively separated grains rather than a soggy sticky mass from fresh cooked rice. Fried rice is also a great way to use up other leftover ingredients (i.e. beef, shrimp, any veggie). The variations are endless! Here are some tricks in making the perfect fried rice:
- Get your hands dirty. Hard lumps of cold rice are easiest to break apart with your hands. Spatulas tends to press and squish the rice. Use your fingers to loosen rice. Wet your hands beforehand so the rice doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Stir fry your meat and vegetables separately from the rice, as each requires different cooking time.
- Mix all seasonings in a bowl. Wait until the rice warms up before you pour the seasoning over, or the rice won’t be coated evenly.
What if you have only fresh cooked rice and cannot wait for the next day? You can spread the rice out on a plate to let the surface moisture evaporate. You can also use a fan to cool the rice down even faster. Fluff the rice with a fork occasionally and prior to cooking.
Chicken Fried Rice (雞丁蛋炒飯)
You can use leftover, fresh, or even frozen vegetables. According to research, frozen vegetables are not necessarily less nutritious than their fresh counterparts and can save you a lot of time. Be liberal with aromatics. This recipe uses garlic, but you can certainly choose scallions, onions, ginger or whatever available in your fridge.
Ingredients
- chicken - breast or thigh, 8 oz, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- rice - 3 cups, overnight rice preferred
- egg - 3, lightly beaten
- pea - frozen, 1 cup (no need to defrost)
- garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
- scallion - 1, finely chopped. (Optional)
- Marinade
- soy sauce - 1 teaspoon
- cornstarch - 1 teaspoon
- sesame oil - 1/2 teaspoon
- Seasoning Mixture
- soy sauce - 2 tablespoons
- sugar - 1/4 teaspoon
- pepper - white or black, 1/8 teaspoon
Instructions
Video is also provided at the top of this article to demonstrate the steps.
- Loose rice: If you use cold overnight rice, break up the clumps using your hand as best as possible. Wet your hands with cold water if the rice starts to stick. If you use freshly cooked rice, fluff it with a fork to loosen. [see video above at 0:05]
- Marinate chicken: Dice chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Add soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil. Massage chicken well with the ingredients. Marinate for about 5 minutes. Tip: You can certainly use any leftover protein such as rotisserie chicken and skip this step. [0:12]
- Prepare seasonings: Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. [0:31]
- Scramble eggs: Heat the work with 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the beaten eggs. Use the spatula to scramble and break the eggs into pieces until just done. Scoop them onto a plate and set aside. [0:39]
- Cook chicken and peas: Reheat the wok over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil until hot. Add in the marinated chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until almost done. Add frozen peas and give it a quick stir. Remove the mixed chicken and peas into a bowl and set aside. Tip: Feel free to use any of your leftovers instead in this step. [0:57]
- Stir-fry rice: Heat the work with another tablespoon of oil. Stir in garlic for about 10 to 20 seconds, just until fragrant. Add rice, and stir-fry until the rice is warmed up. Once warmed, add the seasoning mixture, and continue stir-frying until the rice is evenly coated with the mixture. [1:11]
- Add chicken, peas, and eggs: Add the chicken and peas and stir fry for a minute. Add eggs with a quick stir. Optionally, add salt to taste and sprinkle with scallions. Give it another quick stir, then plate up to serve. [1:36]
